3 Michael O’Neill replacements Blackburn Rovers must consider ft. ex-54-y/o German manager | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers are searching for a new head coach after Michael O'Neill confirmed his exit

Blackburn Rovers narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship under Michael O’Neill during the 2025-26 season - but he won't be returning to Ewood Park.

The 56-year-old took charge of the first team squad in February after the departure of Valerien Ismael, as well as combining his role as the Northern Ireland international boss.

The Lancashire outfit won five, drew five and lost five under the Northern Irishman boss, with the team ultimately coming 20th in the table and five points clear of the drop.

However, Blackburn are again searching for a new first team coach after O’Neill confirmed he will not be staying on at Ewood Park for next season, with the former Stoke manager returning to his post with Northern Ireland, leaving the Championship side in need of a permanent replacement.

Here, we look at three coaches Rovers must consider following O’Neill’s U-turn to walk away from the club after it was initially believed he might remain in charge...

Martí Cifuentes

Martí Cifuentes endured a difficult few months at Leicester City following his appointment last summer, and was sacked in January with the team struggling for form.

However, the Spaniard’s role at the club has aged a bit better in retrospect, as the Foxes crumbled into relegation after his departure, even accounting for the six-point penalty they received.

The 43-year-old also fared much better at QPR in his previous managerial stint in the Championship, guiding the team away from relegation and into a stable mid-table position.

Cifuentes has proven himself at this level, and knows what it takes to maintain a competitive side, which is what Blackburn will need from their next head coach.

Given the messy situation behind the scenes at the King Power Stadium, it’s difficult to be too critical of his performance there, and Rovers should certainly consider him as an option to replace O’Neill.

Damien Duff

Damien Duff has been out of management since departing League of Ireland side Shelbourne last June, but his track record has been quire impressive.

He broke up Shamrock Rovers' stranglehold on the title, and played a crucial role in bringing European football to Tolka Park, earning a reputation as a strong man-manager and a clever tactician.

The former winger also played for Blackburn for seven years until a big-money move to Chelsea in 2003, which could make them an appealing opportunity for him to make the move to English football.

It would be a risky appointment to bring in someone with no experience of working in the Championship, but it could prove a smart decision if he can translate his success in Ireland over to the English game.

David Wagner

David Wagner has been out of work since his departure from Norwich City in the summer of 2024 after their play-off semi-final loss to Leeds United.

The 54-year-old guided the Canaries to a top six finish, which they have not achieved in the subsequent two campaigns, suggesting he did a decent enough job in Norfolk.

While he wasn’t the most popular figure at Carrow Road, their struggles after his exit indicates the German deserved more credit than he received at the time of his exit.

Wagner also guided Huddersfield Town to promotion in 2017, so he knows full well what it takes to be competitive in the Championship, and he may be able to bring a brand of attacking football to Ewood Park - and he’s already shown he get results with a limited budget, which he would surely have if appointed.